


Passing Through

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Original Character - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2002-02-05
Updated: 2002-02-05
Packaged: 2019-05-15 14:24:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 688
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14792195
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of theWest Wing Fanfiction Central, a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in theannouncement post.





	Passing Through

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

Got kinda inspired to write this one from '20 Hours In LA'. Cuz, ya know, Hoynes was in it.

Disclaimer: Not mine.

~*~*~

We're having a party with just a few friends. Well, actually, we're having a party with a few of John's friends. You see, John's friends are our friends. Quaint, isn't it?

I don't have many friends outside of our, as I call them, marriage friends. Either we haven't kept in touch through the years or I just haven't been ambitious enough to go out and make new ones.

During the campaign, I was mostly alone in the hotel rooms or talking with the locals as we went through the cities. I thoroughly enjoyed that. And then when the President had made my husband his running mate, I thought maybe I could actually talk to Mrs. Bartlet. It didn't work out that way. I was nervous around her and eventually we just said a passing hello.

Bowing my head, I smile at something a man has said and then excuse myself to go into the kitchen. Solace. The only sounds I hear are the clincking of the glass and pans. Our cook smiles at me as I walk in. Sitting at the counter, I slowly drink my red wine.

Laughter is heard as the door swings open and John steps in with a woman that I don't recognize. He smiles at me and reaches across the table to get another bottle of...something. I know for a fact that it isn't for him, but it still bothers me when I see him pick up a bottle of liquor. Turning away, I excuse myself once more, walking up the back stairs.

Opening the french doors that led to the upstairs balconly, I sit in one of the lounge chairs that overlooks our yard. The sun was just beginning to set. A big, broken orange ball that turns pink, orange and red as it spreads out across the black clouds.

Smiling at the sight, I settle more into the chair and take another sip of my drink. I glance up at the sky directly above me. It was already that blueish black. For summer, we have been having a cold spell that is overly comfortable and makes for easy sleeping. The windows stay open all day long now, with no complaint.

The cold suddenly got to me and I decided to go back in. More lights had been turned on and I could see that the group had gotten thicker. People were now spreading themselves out. Funny though, how when you have a large group, everyone seems to want to cram themselves into the smallest room. Or am I just imagining that?

A woman, I think her name is Marianne, smiles at me from the corner of the couch. Smiling back, I begin to walk over to her, but as a person passes in front of me and blocks my view for a moment, I see that she has already started a conversation with another person.

John has told me numerous times that no matter how I feel, I should just stand off to the side and wait for the timing to be right and jump in. But I can't and he doesn't seem to understand this. There are times that I want to add something, but my tongue gets tied and I think of how it could actually be the wrong moment. Or, maybe they'll just ignore me.

I'm getting used to being ignored in large groups of people. In small groups, I'm fine. Outgoing actually. I can find a person that I'll talk to all night and then promise myself that I will give them a call. I don't, because I forget or something comes up when I feel that the timing was right.

And now, I sit in silence, watching the guests leave and tell me that they had a wonderful time, I think of how I'll probably never see these people again. That they're just passing through.

~*~*~

Okay, I really want to know how you felt about this one. Did you like it?

Dani Beth

 


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